The two-call approach works best in industries where you are not only the new business developer (opening new accounts), but also the future account manager. The reason is, you are demonstrating right up front, before someone has a chance to actually see or sample your product or service in action, that you are reasonable to deal with.
But it works elsewhere as well, particularly in industries where the norm is decide-now selling. I call this type of selling "High Activity Selling," where the emphasis by sales executives to their salespeople typically is 1. Sales results (obviously), and 2. The number of calls you make, with only lip service given to sales skills (and then it's usually closing skills alone).
So, bridger480, it can and has worked in a variety of B2B industries that I've personally sold and led reps in. I have not tested this in calling individuals in their homes. I have no reason to believe it won't work there too, though. Think about it: what feelings do you get when a telemarketer goes into his spiel full-throttle?
And hot-pursuit, it will work in cold calling physicians. You have such limited time to speak with them that the credibility and trust assessments they make are instantaneous. Same reason, you're demonstrating up front that you're respectful of their time and reasonable to deal with.
Here's the link again to what I found as far as actual success "ratios" in using this approach: http://www.salesteamtools.com/?p=28.
Listen, this is sales. There is no magic potion. Some things definitely DON'T work, but plenty of things work--some better than others. And there are so many other variables that go into being successful: your mindset, time management, your personal achievement drive, your people skills, your questioning skills, to your follow-up, etc. Anyone who is selling THE system for "the 21st century" or "the new millenium" or whatever is simply building hype for their product or service. Have you noticed how many books are coming out all suggesting THEIR way is THE way the top salespeople do it? How can that be?
There ARE things we can do, however, to sell, for example, 3 out of 10 presentations instead of, say, 1 out of 10. That's a 300% increase. But you'd still be "losing" 7 out of 10 times!
That's why this is selling is both art and science. That's why I love it.
